


Autumn Blues

by Eclipsia (uncreativefanficwritername)



Series: Trollhunters Rarepair Week 2018 [1]
Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Autumn, Blind Character, Blindness, Disability, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Post Season 3, Post Series, Romance, Trollhunters Rarepair week, barbmura, change, female/female pairing, lakemura, rarepair week, rarepair week 2018, rarepairweek - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 13:03:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16368161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uncreativefanficwritername/pseuds/Eclipsia
Summary: It wasn't the blindness that bothered her; it was the peace that came after it.(Day 1:Autumn. Blind!Nomura, Barbmura, post-season 3)





	Autumn Blues

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Don't own Trollhunters or any of its characters.
> 
> Hey, thought I'd start off with a Barbmura/Lakemura fic for my Trollhunters Rarepair Week. I encourage anyone who wants to to participate! There are prizes and you can turn in as many entries as you want! 
> 
> Here is a link if you're interested. http://tunafishprincess.tumblr.com/post/179285711621/one-more-day-until-rarepair-week
> 
> I really want to thank Im_the_kind_of_the_ocean for contributing so much to the Barbmura pairing. It's one of my favorites and if I had more time, I would totally do more of this pairing, because there's so much fun potential here. If you haven't, go check out their works. They've got a variety of wonderful stories to read. 
> 
> Also, apologies to anyone with blindness if I didn't accurately describe it or caused any issues in some manner. I wanted Nomura to be frustrated with her situation, which is still fresh on her mind months later. If I ever do a sequel, I'll probably work in more information regarding her regaining her confidence and independence. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this one-shot!

 

* * *

 

 

 

It wasn’t the blindness that bothered her; it was the peace that came after it.

 

Stricklander had gone in her stead with the Trollhunter. Well, more like Barbara completely ignored him after the battle so he slinked off with his tail between his legs like the coward he was. Part of her had wanted to leave with them, to venture out of Arcadia into a new frontier. Trolls and changelings looking for a new homeland—utter bullshit, honestly, but hell, it was better than this stupid unending calm.

 

She couldn't change back anymore. She'd tried. Which meant everyone knew who she was. People would greet her whenever they crossed her path. _How are you doing today, Ms. Nomura? Are you feeling alright today, Nomura? How is working at the local library going?_

 

Pathetic. As if they really cared. Humans, trolls, changelings—everyone had a mask to hide their true feelings. She knew this fact by heart now. All they wanted to do was feed their little egos. _Oh look, I helped the blind changeling lady with her groceries, or just this morning I assisted Ms. Nomura through the crosswalk, because she's an invalid and I wanted to feel good about myself.  _

 

There were exceptions, of course.

 

Rare exceptions.

 

The Lake Family were an odd duo. She could see where Jim got his selflessness and compassion. Barbara took her to the hospital after the battle. After the hospital confirmed her little visual impairment, she took her into her home as well. As if it were normal. 

 

Why? Why her? Hadn’t she tried to kill the human’s son? Hadn’t her actions in some way led to the two’s separation? Not entirely, but in some part she knew what she had done. She wasn't a good person. She knew that.

 

But no. Barbara was patient with her. She treated her wounds, cleaned her body, and even got a damn team of doctors to help her learn how to navigate this new blurry world. It was as if she were trapped in a dimension full of abstract artworks from some crackpot artist who thought they were hot shit and—

 

Her right hand dug into the sofa's armchair. She counted to ten before letting out a deep exhale. This was the worst part: her anger. She used to be so composed. Well, mostly. Maybe it was the loss of everything that made the sting of losing her sight all the worse. The loss of her ex had been a bit of a blow. She and Draal no longer had feelings for each other, but the dumb idiot didn’t deserve to die. She saw how hurt Jim had been by the ordeal. It was one of the things they bonded over their weekly phone calls: memories of Draal. Amongst other things. Jim liked to ask about how she was doing, whether she got a cane yet—so much like his mother she wanted to roll her eyes. She deflected as much as she could. Being blind was a lot easier than talking about it.

 

Her ears twitched as the front door opened. Her shoulders lowered as the familiar quiet steps approached. A soft feminine voice coughed politely.

 

“Ms. Nomura?” Barbara asked. 

 

“Yeah,” she answered dryly. 

 

“I thought you’d like to go out with me, tonight.”

 

“Can’t exactly go anywhere like this,” Nomura explained, gesturing to her face. 

 

“You’ve been cooped up in this house for three days. The library called me asking where you were. What’s going on? How can I help?”

 

“Everything’s fine,” she lied.

 

“Don’t,” Barbara whispered, her hand gliding against Nomura’s arm. She shivered. “Please. I know it’s not. Jim used to do the same thing before I found out about everything. I know you think you’re trying to protect me, but you’re not. Please, Ms. Nomura. I only want to help.”

 

“Maybe I don’t want your help.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Why are you doing all this? I’m a killer. Hell, I tried to kill your son a couple months ago, or did you forget about that?”

 

“I know,” she said. “Jim told me. He told me everything.”

 

“Then why,” she sighed. “Why do you keep doing this?”

 

Barbara walks over to Nomura, sitting down next to her on the couch. Nomura’s back arched in reaction to the new warmth at her side. The loss of vision had left her to focus on her other senses, every detail now more apparent than ever before.

 

Dainty fingers inched towards her own. Nomura’s breath hitched.

 

Her stomach curdled with unease. Physical affection wasn’t something she was used to in the slightest. Even with Draal, it had been an unpleasant sensation, but she had pushed through her comfort zone to provide the brief romance they once had shared.

 

Barbara was different. Barbara made her stomach flip with anticipation. God, look at her (no pun intended). Crushing like some teenage girl. Where was the proud changeling she had been? Here she was, starving for every physical touch Barbara gave her. 

 

“Have you noticed that the seasons have changed?” Barbara mentioned. 

 

Nomura shrugged. “What about it?”

 

“I just thought…not so long ago, I was married and had a husband and son, then the year after that I was divorced and struggling to be a good single mother through it all. Last year, my son and I were talking about college and now he’s in New Jersey with his girlfriend doing who knows what.”

 

“Building New Trollmarket?” Nomura joked.

 

Barbara snorted, “Amongst other things, I think.”

 

Nomura shook her head. “Kids will be kids. Little Gynt will be fine.”

 

“I know, it’s just,” Barbara paused, her voice catching ever so slightly. “Change, you know? With autumn soon here, I guess it didn’t sink in, how much my life has truly changed.”

 

“Is that bad?”

 

“No, different, but not bad,” she said. “I don’t think I could have handled it without you here.”

 

“Me?” Nomura snorted. “What have I done?”

 

She grasped Nomura’s hand, flipping it over. Slowly, she opened one of Nomura’s claws.

 

“Well, first off, you’ve been a good conversationalist and listener to all my complaints,” Barbara teased.

 

“Good to know I’m at least good at one thing.” Nomura remarked.

 

Barbara opened a second finger. “You’ve helped me become closer to my son and answered all my questions about trolls and changelings. Really. Jim and I really appreciate you and all your advice.”

 

“He could easily just get it from Strickler or Blinky.”

 

“But it’s not the same. He trusts you. You’re honest. You don’t sugar coat it for either of us.”

 

Nomura threw her head back, releasing a brief laugh. “Is that your way of saying I’m blunt?”

 

“It’s my way of complimenting you,” she said, picking up a third finger. “You’ve been a great help around the house.”

 

“I don’t think running into things counts as help.”

 

Barbara giggled. Nomura’s heart clenched. She was dizzy, but in a good way, if that made any sense. Probably not. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling.

 

“You help me fold the laundry, you prepare me tea, you help me clean the house,” Barbara listed off. “It’s been good. I know you think you’re a burden, but you’re not, Ms. Nomura.” She lifted a fourth finger. “I know this sounds cheesy, but I like having you around. The house feels like home when you’re here.”

 

“You just miss the kid.”

 

Barbara raised her thumb up before grasping Nomura's hand tightly. “I won’t deny that I miss my son badly. But change happens to all of us. Some good, some bad. But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the people I do have in my life.”

 

“What are you saying?”

 

“What I’m saying is,” Barbara’s voice softened to a shy whisper. “How about…how about you and I go out for coffee tomorrow. My treat.”

 

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

 

“And if I am?”

 

Nomura turned her head away. She didn’t want Barbara to see. Finally she answered, “Zelda.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“It’s my name. My first name.”

 

“Well, then, Ms. Zelda,” Barbara said, leaning closer. Up close, Nomura could distinctly smell the scent of apples and cinnamon in the human’s hair. It was pleasant. For a fleshbag that is. “Would you like to go on a date with me?”

 

Nomura took a deep breath. Though she could not see, she could hear the birds chirping outside, the flapping of their wings as they headed south. Even California got cold sometimes. The air inside the house was cooler than the blazing summer heat they’d experienced a few weeks prior, now closer to a crisp dry coolness.

 

Things were changing. A year ago, she had been another changeling in the Janus Order, waiting for something to change in her boring ass life. Now, she was as blind as a bat, a part-time librarian, and possibly going on a date with the woman she’d been crushing on since she moved in.

 

“Only if you pay, Barbara.” Nomura replied with a grin.

 

It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot. She knew she had a mountain of issues she needed to climb over before she could ever be comfortable with herself.

 

But Barbara was right. Her ears perked up as a brush of wind stroked the wind chimes at the front door. The ones she had made for Barbara. Probably looked like crap for all she knew, but at least they made a sound.

 

Nomura rested her head on Barbara's shoulder. 

 

Autumn was here.

 

 


End file.
